Differential stage lift flow device, velocity control



July 29, 1941. A. BOYNTON' DIFFERENTIAL STAGE LIFT FLOW DEVICE VELOCITY CONTROL Filed Dec. 8, 1939 ALEXANDER BOYNTON,

flaw NTOR,

ATTORNEYS.

. humanl 2 i941 Fl TE srA'r' rAaNr FFl- DIFFERENTIAL STAGE Y FLOW DEVICE, VELOCITY COOL Alexander ynton, San Antonio, llex. 'Appllcation December a, 1939, Serial No. 308,321

force in combination with the momentum ef=the. flowing liquid to admit lifting energy into the f V tubing during the prevalence of low difi'erentlals' 'aithe. intersected parts 5 difiers somewhat in to seat the pressure fluid valves ordinarily will be somewhat greater than the force per square inch exerted by a column of the unaerated well liquid twice as high as thedistanee between adjacent devices.

A .The section 2'2' is identical in the form of the parts where cut with the section 2-2, but is distinguished from .the latter section because one and slow velocities of the educed liquid and to'lo other; places from the part8 cut by the section cut oil the supply of such energy at pro-deter}; mined higher diilerentials and greater velocities of such liquid. i

Another object is" to provide such a device having an opening through which swabs. and

, tubular shell mounted within a nipple forming part oi the tubing, the shell having a series of yieldable springs or discs within it adapted to obstruct the flow of liquid through it, a coiled spring being employed to normally urge a plunger controlling the inflow of pressure fluid to its open position byyieldably engaging the shell containing the series of springs or discs upon the plunger; all of which will more clearly appear from the following specification and accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is mainly a longitudinal section through the preferred construction.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line Fig. 2..

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the sheet metal discs cut into yieldable prongs.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5,-Flg. 6.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through a modified construction.

t'- 2.' Likewise, the section 3'3' is identical with the section except that the member it cut in the latter section difiers in other places ing the plunger 3,- has threaded engagement with .the bushing member 2. By means of the threaded engagement between the actuator base 5 and the actuator clamp sleeve 6, the metallic discs 8 and the metallic rings 9 are firmly secured between the annular shoulders 5d and 6b. Each of the discs 8 is secured between two of the rings 9, the discs and rings being closely received within the sleeve 6.

The discs 8, which may be of thin spring steel plates or may be of fabric interwoven with spring steel wires, are cutas shown at 8b, 8c, and 8d (see Fig. 4), in order to make them yleldable,

may be staggered so that the cuts of one disc between the tubing and the casing will be 're- I ferred to as theupstanding column.

Elxpulsion of liquid frpm the well will be understood as caused by expansion of pressure fluid admitted into the upstanding column by the flow devices.-

Therflowiievic'es will be understood as spaced approximately 200'to 300 feet apart in the flow tllblnge The differential. force per square inch required will be out of registration with the cuts of others.

Each disc has a central opening, these openings being of graduated diameters forming the the oppositely flared opening 8a which allows eas passage for swabs or other tools. When a swab or other tool i run in, the discs flex in the direction of the slightly flared circular surface 5c, and when the'tool is withdrawn, the discs flex in the opposite direction ot the other flared circular surface 60. The opening 8:: thus becomes expansible to the full size of the opening through the tubing and overcomes the objection to-a restricted opening through the tubing. It will be observed that the rounded surfaces 2a,6d, 5e, and If are also adapted to allow free passage of a swab.

The assembly of the members 5 and 6, freely slidable within the shell I, is normally engaged shown. The recesses I30 and lie allow travel room for the spring heads ISa when the arched portions of the springs II are forced outwardly into the slots Ilc. Thus, provision is made for running swabs or other toolsthrough the tubing. The central opening through the cage I3 may be the same size as the tubing passage, thus enabling swabs or other tools, as large as the tubing will take. to pass through these devices.

The balls I are free within peripheral openings in the members 5 and 8 out or which openings they protrude slightly to form rolling guides for these members during their movements within the shell I. The members 5, 6, I, 8, and 9 will be referred to as the disc assembly.

The plunger 3, having such as inch clearance within the chamber Id, is retained by the bushing 4, having the intake opening 4a, over which the plunger acts as a check valve to prevent drainage of well fluid back through the device'at conclusion of the flowing operation.

via the intake opening 4a, the plunger chamber Id, the opening lo, the recess 5 and the discharge ports 5b.

The force required to compress the spring It far enough to allow the valve 3a to engage its seat lb at, for example, 100 pounds diflerential,

is exerted partly by the resistance encountered by fluid in passing through the opening 8a and partly by the lifting force of the plunger exerted by th neck 3b engaged under the member 8.

In Fig. 6, illustrating a modified construction, the tubular shell I I, which may be a steel casting, having the lateral enlargement He, has threaded engagement with the coupling member I2. The cage I3 is freely slidable within the shell II and has its lower unslotted portion lib normally landed resiliently upon the annular shoulder Ho 0! the member II by the expansive force of the coiled spring III having slight clearance over the upper unslotted portion I30 0! the member I3 and within the shell II and having its ends engaged between the annular shoulder I 2a of the member I2 and the annular flange Ile oi the cage I3. The upper portion I3a is slidable within the member I2 for a distance slightly greater than the plunger travel required to engage the valve in upon its seat If).

The cage I! has a plurality oi longitudinal slots Ilc iormingthe posts Iik opposite the annular recess I3d. Within these slots, the pre-iormed bame springs II are secured by the snap ring I 4. engaged within an annular recess formed within the annular projection I3 of the member I3, and by the snap ring II, engaged within another annular recess within the other annular projection I3! 01' the member I3.

The baiiie springs I! have heads Ila somewhat wider than the slots Ilc which heads prevent the springs from being dislodged from their slots while the snap rings I4 and I4 are in place, as

when a swab is run through, the baffle springs will slide within their respective slots I30 until their lower heads I5a land upon the flanged lower end oi the member I3; whereupon the upper heads Iia will rise within the recess its as the springs straighten (in allowing the swab to pass downward. The baiiles then resume their normal position as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. When the swab is withdrawn, the upper heads Ilia will be forced upwardly against the flange lie; whereupon the lower heads I is will move downward within the recess I3g' as the springs again straighten to allow the swab to pass. The central opening Ifib (Fig. 5) normally is restricted by the preformed springs I5, as appears in Fig. 6. but will increase as necessary to allow large volumes of well liquid to pass through in a similar manner to the way it will enlarge to allow Ior the passage of swabs and other tools.

The operative relation between the plunger and the movable baille assembly, composed of the members I3, I4, I4, and I5, is the same as was explained for the somewhat similar construction in Fig. 1.

In each form of the invention, the yieldable baiile member operates as a power take-off upon theflowing well fluid to assist the plunger valve in closing and to keep it closed during the prevalence 01' high differentials, at such times as no more pressure fluid is required to maintain the proper rate of well flow. The yieldable baflles also cushion the fall of liquid slugs resulting from the occasional breaking through of pressure fluid; thereby minimizing the harmful eifect oi slippage tending to open lower valves.

Fouriorces are involved in the operation of this device. The pressure fluid acting under the plunger 3 and the force or the well liquid exerted upon the yieldable discs 8 in Fig. l, or against the baflle springs I5 in Fig. 6, are the two valve seating forces. Opposed to these forces are the force 01' the spring III and the pressure exerted by the upstanding column upon the valve 3a which are constantl tending to unseat this valve.

The force oi the upstanding column and the force 01' the flowing fluid are variable, while the force of the spring and the force of the pressure fluid are constant at all levels.

It will be observed that the pressure fluid control valve 3a is normally open until closed by the combined force of the differential and the force or the fluid flowing through the tubing.

It is apparent that many minor changes can be made in the constructions'illustrated and that equivalents can be substituted for parts shown; and I reserve the right to make such changes and substitutions within the scope and purpose of the stated objects and app nded claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Well flowing apparatus oi the character described comprising a conduit in which a column of liquid may be lifted, a valve bodfr in said conduit having a passageway communicating between the interior and exterior thereof, a valve element movable in said passageway bypressure fluid flowing to the interior of the body,abaiiie assembly within the body having a flow passage therethrough and movable by the varying velocity head of the moving column of liquid within the conduit and body, said assembly engaging the stem of the valve to effect control of the valve movement, said ballle assembly including yieldcrease the eifectlve passage through the body as the velocity head within thebody increases.

2. A well flowing device comprising a valve body having an axial bore, a baflie assembly having a flow passage therethrough and movable within said bore, said assembly including a plurality of flexible members extending inwardly toward the axis of the bore, a passage in the wall of the body, a valve in said passage having a stem in engagement with said assembly, and means resiliently urging the assembly downwardly to seepthe valve open.

3. In a well flowing device of the class described the combination of a valve body having a pasable inwardly extending members adapted to. in-

sage through the wall thereof, a valve in said passage, a stem on said valve and extending to the interior of the body, a cage movable axially withintsaid body, means resiliently urging said cage into engagement with said stem to hold the valve open, and a plurality of axially flexible discs mounted within said cage to provide a variable passage through the body for the changing velocity head of liquid passing therethrough.

4. In a well flowing device of the class described the combination of, a valve body having an internal enlargement, a cage movable within-said enlargement, a plurality of bowed springs movably mounted in the walls of the cage and extending longitudinally thereof to form a restricted.

passageway of variable cross section,"a passage in the wall of the body from the exterior to the interior thereof, a valve in said passage, and a stem on said valve engageable by said cage whereby the flow of fluid through said valve is controlled.

ALEXANDER BOYN'I'ON. 

